The Bank of England 1891-1944. - 1976

Cambridge: Cambridge University Press,, 1976. First editions, first impressions: a handsome, internally fresh copy of Sayers's comprehensive history of the Bank of England from the late 19th to the mid-20th century. Richard Sidney Sayers (1908-1989), an economist and monetary historian, was invited to undertake this project by the then-Governor of the Bank of England. He was consequently given "absolutely unrestricted access to the Bank's records down to 1950" (p. xi). Sayers's History includes analysis of the Bank's response to the two World Wars, the Great Depression, and the controversy over the Gold Standard. Its focus is both national and international, as attention is equally given to the Bank's role promoting reconstruction in Europe and to its efforts to strengthen relations between the world's central banks. The third volume, a collection of appendices, reproduces various internal and external documents, including treasury memoranda and committee minutes. Of particular interest are the two facsimiles of Governor Norman's manuscript notes from 1925 and 1927, which offer a direct insight into his position on such issues as the Gold Standard and its international implications. Three volumes, octavo. Original dark red cloth, spines lettered and ruled in gilt, with mauve ground, covers panelled in blind, gilt roundel to front covers, dark red endpapers. With dust jackets. Manuscript facsimiles and tables in the text of vol. 3. Review of different work loosely inserted. Cloth bright, very light rubbing to extremities, a few spots of foxing to edges and contents, otherwise fresh; a few spots of moderate soiling to jackets, light bumping and chipping to extremities, flaps without price as issued: a near fine copy in very good jackets.